This invention relates to a method and apparatus for handling small workpieces, for storing such workpieces on trays and for transferring the workpieces for further operations or assembly.
It is common practice in large manufacturing plants to provide part transfer devices which are adapted to receive individual parts undergoing various manufacturing processes and to transfer these parts to other machines for subsequent operations or for purposes of assembly into operative devices. Obviously the speed and handling of the parts is a primary consideration as is the necessity for accuracy in locating and handling of the parts so as to avoid any malfunction of the machines.
More specifically, in the assembly of gasoline gauges for automobiles it is essential to provide trays for supporting a plurality of individual parts, such as, for example, the magnetic gauge bobbin. These gauges must be magnetized to operate and must then be stored for subsequent transfer to work stations for assembling the individual fuel gauges. The present invention provides trays for retaining in precise locations a large number of individual gauge bobbins and for moving these trays into and out of storage racks which are capable of storing a large number of such trays.
In the prior art there have been provided various transfer devices for feeding individual parts into and out of storage containers. In prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,958, issued Jan. 16, 1973 there is disclosed a rotary stand having a plurality of vertically extending guideways, each guideway being adapted to receive a cartridge for holding a plurality of individual parts such as circuit boards. Such an arrangement has been entirely satisfactory for the handling of circuit boards but did not meet the needs of handling simultaneously a large number of very small parts.